North Carolina woman charged with smuggling marijuana into prison in son's pants

A North Carolina woman was charged with smuggling marijuana into a correctional facility by placing it in her son’s pants pocket.

Jenifer Lynn Patterson of Fairmont, N.C., allegedly put marijuana into her 4-year-old’s pants pocket to give to her boyfriend who is serving time behind bars at Columbus Correctional Institution. She was charged Sunday with providing drugs to an inmate.

Other warrants for her traffic offenses were also served on the 24-year-old. She was released from Columbus County Detention Center after posting $14,000 bond.

Patterson was trying to give the drugs to her boyfriend, Cody Lambert. Lambert is serving a seven-month sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was charged with being an inmate in possession of marijuana, Columbus County Detective Kevin Norris told the Fayetteville Observer.

During Patterson’s visit with Lambert, she told him where the marijuana was located. Patterson took one child to the bathroom, while Lambert gave the child a hug and reached into his pocket for the drugs.

The incident was caught on video.

The four-year-old boy and another child who was with Patterson at the time were placed in the custody of the Department of Social Services.